The reality of being Lois Lane
by padfootfox
Summary: Clark and Lois A few years in the future, the legendary couple is working together at the Daily Planet. Lois struggles with the knowledge of knowing and loving "the-man-of-steel"...
1. Chapter 1

**The reality of being Lois Lane**

• I do not have any ownership of Smallville, or the characters. I do however own my own words so may everything good in this world help you… if you use them without my permission.

:p

Lois Lane was sitting with one hip hitched on the ledge of her apartments largest window. He was late… which; in it of itself is not as surprising as how much it still made the knots in her stomach tighten. The evening lights of Metropolis were growing brighter, narrowing into colliding hues of light and shadow. Lois didn't want to think about the damn lights. They did not provide a significant enough distraction. The single minded thought that "he was late" reverberated in her head. Her mouth gave the slightest twitch of annoyance; no one would ever accuse Lois of having infinite patience.

Loving Clark was easy. Sharing him was not. Clark was her best friend. He became her one shining constant. Clark lit a fire in her, brighter than she had ever known possible with her own family. Clark had entered her life as the model of predictability and optimism. All apple pie and plaid, with a brain that could keep her on her toes. For all this things that he was to her, she understood what he was to the rest of the world…

_he was Superman…_

The sound of her cell phone vibrating on the table by the door startled her and sent her staggering off the window ledge. The voice on the other end was familiar but not the one she was expecting. Her thoughts skipped for the span of a heartbeat before she was able to place the voice. Why was Oliver Queen calling her?

Lois was running towards the awaiting plane. The call from Oliver had come almost thirty minutes ago; he had sent a plane for her…

It may have been more than five years since she and Ollie had dated, but she would always have a soft spot for him. No matter how much time had passed Oliver Queen was still Ollie, and she knew she could trust him.

Of course Ollie would have called her, he was one of the few Justice League members who knew Clark, knew her. The other members of the Justice League knew only of her professional relationship to Superman. Lois had been the first to interview the mysteries hero. Flinging herself into the leather seat she barked at the pilot that she was ready, as she struggled to make her hands stop shaking long enough to fasten her seat belt. Lois stared blankly forward, hearing the engines roar alive as she tried to stay focused and not panic.

_Clark._

A tattered corner of a rag magazine peaked out of the pocket in front of her seat, half of Superman's face looking out benevolently. The first time she saw him fly down and land in front of her she knew she was in trouble. No nonsense, assertive, brash, sharped tongued Lois Lane… hand been rendered speechless at the sight of him.

With a wry smile, Lois came to her own self-defense… "How could he not dazzle me, the man could _fly." _The blue suit, the curling lock of black hair, _for gods sake_ he had been wearing a cape that was flapping in the wind when she first met him. And then he smiled... Lois never had a chance. That same week she had started working with an old friend at the Planet, Clark Kent. It had been several years since she had seen him, but they had managed a few phone calls to stay in touch save the year he traveled after college. A year she knew now he had spent at a place his father had called Clark's "fortress of solitude." Seeing Clark in person again was a little surreal, he seemed older in more than years and wearing less plaid but adopting thick framed black glasses.

In the beginning they were friends again, sharing story assignments for the paper and movies on the weekends. But Superman became her dogged pursuit. Part infatuation and part admiration. An army base brat Lois had been around powerful men. She understood the game better than anyone, and she knew how men like these functioned. As she came to know Superman, she came to understand that for all his power…his intentions were never for himself. It had been Clark though she had fallen in love with. He was _so_ many things she admired. It was probably her initial admiration that had sparked everything. So many things she had come to admire and now love. He was patient, kind, and understanding as well as lacking any capacity for cruelty. All of these things flitted threw Lois's head in rapid-fire succession.

The plans engines decreased in pitch, and Lois stomach cinched tighter. She forced her mind back to Clark. She thought of their first assignment together. There first all night project. She remembered describing what it was like to fly with Superman for the first time, while her head lay resting on Clarks shoulder as she fell asleep. The wheels of the plane touched the tarmac and Lois was unbuckling her seat belt as soon as the wheels began to slow…


	2. Chapter 2

*•* I do not have any ownership of Smallville, or the characters. I do however own my own words so may everything good in this world help you… if you use them without my permission.

:p

Sorry if this reads chopping I can't seem to gather enough brain power to focus on the words…

Chapter_two:

Lois took the stairs from the plane in two huge bounds, nearly running into a waiting Oliver Queen. He was dressed crisply in a suit, standing impassively and avoiding her eyes as he placed a hand on her back to steer her towards the large silver building. The night here was darker than that of the city and it took flashes from the planes lights hitting against silvery building in short bursts to illuminate the lettering that read "Star Laboratories".

Lois was single minded in reaching Clark as she reached for the buildings door but Oliver stopped suddenly, turning to putting his hands on her shoulders. Impatient Lois tried to turning to shrug free of his hold but Oliver's voice stopped her. "Lois, I need you to listen to me." His voice shook… and he got her attention. "Do you remember Davis Bloome?" Lois nodded, her hand still on the door and he continued. "He's changed Lois I don't know what he is, but I've never seen anything like it. He came out of nowhere this afternoon ripping through the League like we were nothing. He said he was looking for Superman."

"Oliver." Lois whispered an impatient edge to her tone.

"He was hurt pretty bad Lois", Oliver finally said. "J'onn has him exposed to some intense light thing that is supposed to…" He stopped short giving a tight shake of his head.

Lois nodded an understanding. "Lois", Oliver's grip on her tight enough for her to notice "He's going back… Its not over… _it's_ not dead."

Her heart skipped… Lois met Ollies' eyes and could see what he had been hiding. Fear. He was afraid.

"Ollie what is _it_?"

"Lois, I don't know if any of us in the League are powerful enough to stop him. I don't know if Superman is strong enough to stop him."

Together she and Oliver approached a set of gleaming silver doors. The floor beneath her vibrated and the only sound she heard was something like a whirling engine.

Walking thru the doors Lois and Oliver moved into a large room, just as clean and glossy as the rest of the building. J'onn was the first person she saw and a touch to her mind from him told her where Clark was.

Centered across from her a large silver capsule at the far side of the room was vibrating slightly, with a brilliant gold light eeking threw a thin slat in the front. A handful of Leagues members were fanned out into various positions in the room, none of them were standing. Most were leaning or lying. All of them looking like they had been dragged behind a truck for about a day.

J'onn approached her and wordlessly Lois pulled a small black box from her jacket pocket and pressed it into his hand, meeting his eyes with a warning look. In the room the sound she had heard from the hall was amplified and the vibrations powered through the room like a generator. J'onn approached the capsule and depressed a lever on the side of the machine. The light from the slat blazed for a moment more before fading and the roaring vibrations quieted down to a hum before falling silent. Without the light from the chamber, the lighting had dimmed to a softer glow. J'onn placed a hand over the capsule and it split in half allowing Superman to step out.

She took a step forward_. Clark. _She wanted to go to him butthere were rules while he was Superman, it was imperative that she protected the only aspect of Superman she could. His secret.

Superman leaned heavily on the capsules door and looked like he might at any moment fall. He looked awful. His suit was in tatters around his body, the cape all but a memory to the suit.

She felt Oliver move forward at her side, looking at Oliver, she saw relief on his face. Her mind wondered what he looked like before they put him in. J'onn moved forward then, only touched shoulders with him as he moved to sit on only bed in the room.

J'onn looked in her direction and she could feel him on her mind, like a caress. When he spoke his voice was passionless "We have less than an hour." Wordlessly the league members rose and filed out of the room followed lastly by Ollie who brushed a hand across her shoulder as he passed.

She had to stifle her irritation at the formality of it all, like she seeing someone at their death bed. J'onn was the last to leave; his voice was warm with that odd lilting quality. " We only have less than an hour."

Lois waited for the last sound of the door closing before moving toward the bed. He was lying now with his eyes closed, but the moment she reached for his hand his eyes fluttered open. His brow pushed together for a moment and she wondered if he had even known she was there. He made a gesture; like he was going to sit up but Lois stopped him with her hand. "If it's all the same to you farm boy I've have had a long day and I'd love to just put my feet up."

"Lois", he started but she stopped him with her hand pressing her fingers against his mouth. Kicking her heels off, she curled up against his side her stomach unwinding in a rush when his arms came around her. She buried her face against his neck and didn't say anything for what seemed like a very long time… well a long time for Lois Lane. God, she wanted to yell. Why did it always have to be him? She would bite her tongue off before she would do that to him. It had been a long road to becoming Superman and the responsibility of that side of him would forever belong to the world.

His breathing stayed stead and rhythmic and curled against him in a familiar position they could be laying in bed on a Sunday morning. She breathed in deeply the familiar scent of his skin and felt the history between them stretch very long. She held her arms tighter to him and refused to let her mind go to a place where she could lose him.

He gave a contented sigh and Lois sat up a bit to look at his face. He looked back a long moment, his eyes soft and happy. Her same old farm boy plain to see. She realized abruptly that he had been hurt enough an hour ago that Ollie and called her in. Hurt at all and it scared her and made her angry all at once. It must have shown clearly on her face because Clarks face broadened in a smile. Tipping a finger under her chin, he spoke softly. "I am feel fine, really. A little tired but fine."

"Right", she started "And your suit looks like you had an angry fight with a very big cat because…

Leaning forward he stopped her, kissing her softly across her lips. "Fine", he said again.

Her stupid heart betrayed her, hammering madly in her chest and it was her turn to sigh. "What does all this have to do with Davis Bloome", she said at length.

The grave face of Superman returned when he spoke. "I don't know. I don't know what he did to me it wasn't like a lost my powers but like he was just stronger than me. I don't know what he is anymore to have this effect on me."

The thought of something stronger than Superman made her heart chill again.

The door opened then and J'onn came in the glancing only a moment towards Superman, communicating silently. J'onn met her eyes but Clark shook his head. Her hand tightened against his chest as J'onn left.

"We're putting a team together, to try and track him", Clark said. "Were going to be leaving in a few hours, let me fly you home."


	3. Chapter 3

The reality of being Lois Lane

*•* I do not have any ownership of Smallville, or the characters. I do however own my own words so may everything good in this world help you… if you use them without my permission.

:p

again forgive any… roughness detected I am trying to workout the story for a massive edit at the end.

.

chapter_three

Lois held her arms tight around Superman's neck, her fingertips wrapped in the bits of remenate fabric from his cape and watched as the night passed in a sea of light patterns beneath them. She had known for a while now that her old friend Clark Kent and the "man-of-steel" were one in the same. It was still easier, if only so she could protect his secret, to refer to him as he was dressed. So it was Superman flying her home. This was not the first time he and flown with her, but the sensation was always the same. It was just one aspect of their relationship, alone in the sky he was all hers.

She tired not to think ahead, to the unknown threat that had happened only an hour ago. But she was what she was and for Lois it was hard silence a whirling mind. There was a coldness that had not left her body since she had picked of the phone an hour ago and no matter how tight she held him, it would not lessen.

Superman set her gently on her feet; her toes brushing the stone floor the balcony for a moment before she loosened her hold enough to trust her footing. Superman's feet followed hers until they were both solidly on the ground but Lois kept her arms around his neck a moment more, a silent protest of separating the distance between them. She felt the laugh rumble up his chest before she heard it, as his had ran softly across her back. "We have a few minutes and besides I have to change." She dropped her arms and began the habitual process biting the bottom of her lip. He gently chucked the underside of her chin with the top of his finger before walking towards her bedroom. Lois narrowed her eyes in thought. He had been hurt bad enough a few hours ago that Ollie had called her in; bad enough that J'onn had asked her to bring the sliver of kryptonite. Of the things she was unsure about, Lois knew there was a close to zero change of Smallville flying out that window to face some holy hell while she stayed at home with her ankles crossed.

She heard the shower start up and decided she would feel better if she could at least feed him, if anything is would give her time to plot.

To say that Lois Lane wasn't the best cook would have been a gross understatement. Lucky for her, Clarks' tastes were simple. She had just finished a peanut butter and banana sandwich and was pouring the milk as he came in with damp hair, smelling of soap and wrapped in a red plaid robe.

He sat at the counter almost leisurely, while she leaned across it from the other side. She was sure that the gesture was for her benefit. She could _feel_ how twitchy she was being. "Can we just shoot the elephant in the room already Clark," she started. "What does this have to do with Davis Bloome? Last time I checked he was listed on the dead or missing list."

Clark nodded amidst a mouthful of his sandwich, "Last time _I_ checked… he was... I was leaving the Daily Planet this evening and I heard someone calling for help." Clark swallowed deeply before continuing. "I don't know… he found me and when he did." He paused and in the pause Lois lost patience with the distance and came to sit on the stool beside him, hooking one leg behind his and resting her foot on the base of his stool. "Lois", he began "he was very strong and I don't even know what he wants."  
He was giving her a condensed version, but she forgave him because time was short. Her bravado failed her completely then and she stood up abruptly to stand next to him all the while understanding he needed to leave. Sometimes there just wasn't time in the day to save the world and soothe the girlfriend too.

At her thought Clark stood and in a second left her in a swirl of wind that blew her hair in a torrent about her head. Superman now stood before her dressed in the crisp bold suit, a lock of hair threatening to fall fully in his forehead.

Lois had crossed her arms defensively across her stomach, but allowed Superman to pull her against his chest, tucking her head underneath his chin. "I want you not to worry Lois," his tone was soft and full of that farm boy sincerity so much apart of him. Her resolve was weakened by it and she wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head against his heart. It was so hard for her to trust fully in anything, he would possibly never be able to fully understand what she had felt when Ollie had called. Lois could easily run a full gambit of emotions in a matter of seconds. Fear was not something she was used to anymore than she was used to needing someone so much. Sometimes there were things you couldn't tell anybody, not even your best friend. She was afraid that she could lose him and it was hard to not hold on as tightly as she could.

His hand came to rest against the back of her neck and turning her head in response, he kissed her. She felt the softness of his mouth as it shaped to her own and could not stop the smile that broke against his lips when she realized he tasted like peanut butter and bananas.

He pulled away at length still holding her tight against his chest while his mouth brushing the curve of her ear," I love you Lois Lane."

"Clark Kent," she said tightening her arms leaning tighter against him, "don't you say your goodbyes to me."

He stepped back then and smiling he left her in another rush of wind before disappearing into the night.

Lois Lane lasted about 5 seconds before sprinting towards the phone.


End file.
